I was busy doing something inside the house when I heard a noise I hadn't heard for years. Could it be? I listened hard, there it was again, YES it is!! I rushed to get my camera, and ran outside to look out over the back paddock. My heart was beating fast, I was really excited..there he was! A Topdressing plane was scouting the neighbours fields. These guys are simply amazing the way they fly their planes, they are truly a sight to behold. When I was younger, you could count on watching one at work at least once every couple of months. The maneuvers they can pull, defy gravity sometimes. Although I have a huge fear of flying, watching planes fascinates me and I hadn't seen a Topdresser in years, let alone just out the back of the property.
After doing a bit of research on good old Wiki, I found some interesting facts. It actually makes for some great reading, if you have the time. Here is the link (hopefully)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerial_topdressing (I think they are also known as crop dusters?)
Pilots have to keep an eye out for many things, including power lines that drape across gullies. This is an extremely dangerous job, with many lives lost, especially in it's infancy. In the first 16 years of it's existence, 51 Pilots were killed, including 7 in one year! Thankfully those figures have significantly dropped, but it is still a highly risky business.
I am pretty sure the plane in my photo's is a Fletcher Fu24.
The view is from our back paddock, with the neighbours properties across the gully and in the hills.
First he does his practice runs
Then it's all action.
He gets very low in some shots. He was a bit too fast for me, so I only managed a few.
Here is a Harrier Hawk sharing the sky with him
Yes..he was flying that low!!
I noticed a speck in this one just under the Hawk...So I blew it up
The Hawk got such a fright, I think he dropped his lunch!! Rabbit or bird..not sure what he was carrying.
And He's off home. Thanks for the show , you guys are awesome.